


Endlessly, As Expected

by beautifultargetslove



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Family, Fluff, boys just being cute and loving, just a day in their normal lives, slight sick fic but nothing major
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 13:16:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19377472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautifultargetslove/pseuds/beautifultargetslove
Summary: Conversation flows easily. It had been awhile since they had been together. Usually in the vans, they were separated and asleep. When the younger members came back from school, the others were in the midst of practice. Kevin had been staying out late to finish the designs on their upcoming album and Younghoon had an MCing gig. It was nice being together.





	Endlessly, As Expected

**Author's Note:**

> I just love their relationships and dynamics so much and have loads more of just them being a cute family. I hope I won't crowd up their tag too much lol. Title taken from their song 4ever, one of my absolute favorites!
> 
> Side note- is it too obvious who my biases are?

“How are you doing right now, kiddo?”

Sunwoo gives Sangyeon a puzzled look. “Fine. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know.” Sangyeon shrugs, pushing the door to their dorm open further. The rest of the members have already piled in, kicking their shoes into a mess on the floor. 

“You’ve just seemed quiet. Was practice tough today?”

“No more than usual,” replies Sunwoo unfazed. “I had a test today too. But everything’s fine.” Sangyeon hums, locking the door behind him.

Sunwoo’s face is still flushed pink, despite them having finished dance practice almost an hour ago and having been drinking plenty of water since then. There are some beads of sweat trailing down his face and Sangyeon knows it’s not from walking up the stairs.

Before he can pry further, Sunwoo sees an escape. “I think the shower’s free. I’m going to go change.” He flees the conversation and Sangyeon frowns.

“I think Sunwoo’s sick,” he announces to the kitchen. Only Kevin and Jacob are there, freshly showered; the rest of the group scattered about the dorm. Juyeon and Hyunjae are in the shower, while Haknyeon, Eric, and Chanhee are spread out on the couch. The TV plays some mindless drama in the background.

“Sick?” Jacob is instantly worried. “Why do you say that?”

“I think he’s running a fever, he’s still flushed from practice. And he seems tired too.”

“He did seem a bit sluggish today,” Kevin says thoughtfully. “Did you ask him about it? Oh wait, that never goes well.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Sangyeon says dryly. “But I started the conversation, so you guys can finish it. I’m going to shower.”

“Hyung!” whines Kevin but their leader has already left, wanting to get out of his sweaty clothes as soon as possible.

“Why does he have to push it all onto us?” Kevin grumbles and Jacob laughs.

“I’ll handle it, but you have to wash the dishes.”

“It’s not even your turn this week!”

“When it’s my turn,” corrects Jacob, but they both know he won’t hold Kevin to it anyway. Kevin will give in though, because who can refuse an angel?

“Sunwoo!” Jacob calls out, hearing an affirmative grunt. “Baby, could you come here for a second?”

“It’s a wonder you can hear anything in here,” Kevin comments and Jacob privately agrees. The dorm is always so loud with chatter and noise but they’ve gotten used to it by now. It even feels weird to go to sleep when it’s completely quiet; usually there’s at least two people up until the late hours.

“Yes, hyung?” Sunwoo trots into the kitchen, towel slung over his shoulders in preparation for his shower. Jacob notices then, how pink his cheeks really are. He motions Sunwoo closer before pressing the back of his hand to the younger’s forehead.

“Hyung?”

“You’re pretty hot, baby,” Jacob muses, ignoring Kevin’s snort of laughter. “Do you feel okay?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Sunwoo frowns, annoyed. Hyunjoon comes in at that moment, bangs still damp from the shower and wearing one of Juyeon’s oversized T-shirts.

“Sunwoo, it’s your turn,” he says. Jacob gives Kevin a look.

“Oh! Uh, Hyunjoonie, do you want to see what we’re thinking of making tonight?” Kevin comes up with a distraction quickly and Hyunjoon hums, walking over to curl himself into Kevin’s side.

“That’s so many ingredients, are you sure you can manage?”

“ _ We _ , you mean. You’re helping me tonight, baby.”

While the other two are now engrossed in a conversation of cooking, Jacob gives his attention back to Sunwoo. The younger hates appearing weak in front of any of them, only occasionally letting them in. Jacob is the easiest to open up to, arms ready and waiting. Sunwoo can never resist his caring antics and goes to Jacob whenever he needs help with anything.

“Are you sick?”

“No.” 

Jacob waits.

“Maybe,” admits Sunwoo. “Not yet, though. Just the beginning of a cold. But it’s not serious-”

“Go take a shower,” interrupts Jacob before Sunwoo argues further. “The hot water will help. And then I’m making you soup and then you’re going to bed.”

Sunwoo nods dutifully and heads to the bathroom, bumping shoulders with Changmin on the way. “There’s a fresh towel inside,” Changmin says carelessly but his eyes linger on Sunwoo a little longer than usual. He knows something’s up.

“Thanks hyung.”

It turns out, Kevin was not serious about making whatever complicated dish he showed Hyunjoon and the two of them settled on making simple fried rice with vegetables and beef. The scent of food soon fills the dorm and Haknyeon wanders in.

“It smells really good!” He peeks over Kevin’s shoulder. “Ahhh I’m so ready to eat!”

“Thank you for volunteering to help then, Haknyeonnie,” Kevin says teasingly.

“Well I didn’t-”

“You can set the table since you’re here.”

“Hyung,” Haknyeon draws out the word, and although Kevin rolls his eyes, he gives the other a piece of beef for his troubles.

Happily sated with food, Haknyeon goes about setting up the bowls and chopsticks for everyone. Eric comes in while he’s doing so, wincing at how crowded their table is.

“Are we really all eating at the table tonight?” he asks. Kevin gives him a look.

“Of course baby, it’s been awhile since we’ve eaten all together.” Usually it’s in twos and threes, everyone’s schedules different. School ends later than vocal practice, which is different from tutoring or dance. That’s not including fansigns, photoshoots, radio shows, and the like. They haven’t all eaten together in a couple weeks.

“And we have enough room?” Eric is still doubtful. Kevin offers a forkful of beef and Eric pounces on it, chewing contently.

“We’ll make it work,” Hyunjoon responds, grinning when Kevin lets him try the beef too. It’s enough that the maknaes drop the subject, finishing getting dinner ready.

Jacob meanders about the kitchen, heating up Sunwoo’s soup, and calls the others when Kevin gives him the go-ahead. “Dinner’s ready!”

The members make their way into the tiny kitchen, squeezing into the chairs. It’s not a perfect fit. Far from it. Chanhee is almost on Younghoon’s lap, and Sangyeon’s shoulder is right up against the side of the fridge.

It’s not very comfortable but it’s cozy.

“What’s that?” Hyunjae asks, ever nosy, as Jacob places the bowl of soup right in front of Sunwoo.

“Soup,” Jacob answers honestly, sliding into his seat between Juyeon and Changmin.

“Is it because he’s your favorite?” Eric glares accusingly and Jacob just sighs, too accustomed to that question.

“Yes, he’s my favorite.”

Sunwoo laughs, then tries to cover it up with a cough. Hyunjoon smirks at him while passing him a napkin.

Eric sniffs. “I knew it.”

“Baby, you know we don’t have favorites,” Younghoon says, smoothening things over, as he usually does. Ever the peacemaker, he starts to scoop the rice into Eric’s bowl and the youngest is distracted quickly, helping Younghoon pass the bowls around the table.

Conversation flows easily. It had been awhile since they had been together. Usually in the vans, they were separated and asleep. When the younger members came back from school, the others were in the midst of practice. Kevin had been staying out late to finish the designs on their upcoming album and Younghoon had an MCing gig. It was nice being together.

Even with both Chanhee’s and Juyeon’s waters being spilled (“Can you watch your elbows,  _ please  _ Hyunjae hyung?”) and Haknyeon burning his tongue (“Baby, you need for it to cool a little first”), Jacob chalked it up to a very successful dinner.

They slowly disperse off to their rooms since there’s an early schedule tomorrow. Changmin and Hyunjae stay in the kitchen to clear the table and wash the dishes. Eric and Haknyeon have taken over Eric’s bed to get some last homework problems finished, grumbling all the way. Hyunjoon has settled on the couch, earphones in and pen in hand. Younghoon joins him soon after, starting to fold laundry. It’s never ending as Chanhee brings him a basket piled high, having started another load. Juyeon, Kevin, and Sangyeon are in Sangyeon’s and Jacob’s room, curled up together and reading a couple books they haven’t been able to get around to yet.

“Do you feel better?” Jacob had coaxed Sunwoo to go to his room alone and had pointedly made Kevin steer away Juyeon. He wants Sunwoo to at least be asleep before the others get in. Luckily Juyeon can be oblivious and Kevin convinced him to join him and Sangyeon in a quiet reading session instead.

“I didn’t feel that bad before,” Sunwoo replies but Jacob reads the honesty behind the words.  _ Yes, thank you. _

“I think you should go to bed then. We have an early day tomorrow and I don’t want you exhausted and getting worse.”

“Hyung, it’s fine.” Sunwoo smiles and it’s genuine but Jacob’s not letting him go that easily. He didn’t earn the nickname  _ angel  _ for nothing.

“Be in bed in the next half hour or I’ll stick Chanhee on you,” he threatens. Sunwoo shudders. The two of them are like oil and water, not meshing together at all and always getting under the other’s skin. But Chanhee is steadfast in his care of the maknaes and whenever there’s a problem, he’s the one that freaks out the most.

His method of looking after them are a little more overbearing than Sangyeon’s well-intentioned advice or Kevin’s laid back attitude or Jacob’s warm welcome. Sunwoo thrives with Jacob the most, but has turned to Chanhee many a time.

“Okay fine, you didn’t have to go that far. For such an angel, you can be devious sometimes.” Sunwoo frowns while Jacob just smiles sweetly. 

“Thirty minutes, baby.”

Sunwoo sticks his tongue out but heads to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Changmin comes in a minute later, Younghoon’s large shirt hanging off one shoulder. They’ve shared so many clothes that everyone has lost track of things. Besides, the bigger the clothes are, the comfier they feel and Sangyeon has to constantly get new clothes for the bulkier members.

“Hyunjae hyung’s?” Changmin asks, pointing at Sunwoo’s sweatpants. The younger nods, unabashed.

“They were clean.”

“I feel that.” Changmin takes his glasses off and puts them on the edge of the counter, gently bumping Sunwoo with his hip. “Scoot over a little.”

“You’re going to bed?”

“Yeah, I’m tired. And since Kevin hyung and Hyunjoonie aren’t in our room, I want to be asleep by the time they get back in there.” Changmin wrinkles his nose. “Kevin hyung is loud sometimes.”

“Changmin hyung, you’re loud sometimes.”

“I suppose that’s fair.” Changmin gets to work on his skincare routine while Sunwoo watches with amusement. They have to constantly wear makeup and sweat it off and get it reapplied again. They get stressed and break out and get dehydrated but through it all, Changmin always has glowing skin. Sunwoo doesn’t worry about it much, generally content with his bare face, but he still washes his face and pats it dry with a towel.

“Oh, it seems we all had the same idea.” Haknyeon grins at them, squeezing himself into the bathroom.

“You’re headed off to bed too?” Sunwoo asks around a mouthful of toothbrush. Haknyeon nods, humming as he crowds on Changmin’s other side.

“Eric and I just finished up but he wanted to watch a movie. I was tired from today so I left.”

“Smart move.” Changmin rubs circles into his cheeks until he’s satisfied and backs up, letting Haknyeon have more room.

Sunwoo spits into the sink and Haknyeon makes a face at him. “Warn me next time!”

“No promises.” But Sunwoo generously rinses the sink as Haknyeon starts to wash his face, frowning at one spot on his cheek.

“Is it that noticeable?”

“Is what noticeable?” Changmin leans forward and frowns at the small blemish. “You can barely see it, Haknyeonnie. Don’t stress too much.”

“I’m trying!”

“Goodnight hyungs,” Sunwoo says as he slips out of the bathroom. He doesn’t want to get sucked into another conversation and besides, the tiredness is really starting to kick in. He had been doing a good job of pushing it to the back of his mind but now that he realizes he’s able to go to bed soon, the exhaustion hit him like a freight train.

“Twenty-two minutes, not bad,” teases Jacob when Sunwoo gets back to his room. The elder is sitting on Juyeon’s bed, playing on his phone. Kevin is next to him, dozing off, but his eyes fly open when Jacob speaks.

“Is this an intervention?” Sunwoo banters back, climbing under the covers.

“No, just making sure you listened. Kevin is a witness.”

“Just so we’re clear, I did believe in you,” Kevin protests, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. It had been a long day for all of them.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Jacob feels Sunwoo’s forehead again and is relieved to find him a lot cooler than before. Besides for the slight fever, nothing seemed wrong with him. He ate at dinner and his voice never sounded weird. It must’ve been just a little something but they still had to step in before it could worsen.

“How are you feeling?” 

“I’m just tired.” Sunwoo resists the urge to roll his eyes when Jacob tucks the blankets neatly around him. They coddle him too much- him and the rest of the maknae line too- but he secretly loves it. 

“We’ll leave you to sleep then.” Kevin ruffles Sunwoo’s hair fondly. “Goodnight baby.” He leaves the room, turning the light off as he goes.

Jacob gestures to the lamp on the desk. “Will this light bother you?” He doesn’t want the others to have to try to find their way in the pitch blackness.

“It’s fine.” Sunwoo snuggles deeper into his comforter as Jacob turns the lamp on, a warm golden light bathing the room softly.

“Feel better, baby.” Jacob gives him a smile and a wave as he leaves, closing the door behind him.

Sangyeon looks up from his book when Jacob enters their room. “How is he?”

“In bed. I don’t think it’ll turn into anything serious, he’s just tired.”

“Aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I’m about to head to bed myself.” Jacob laughs lightly. “Once the bathroom doesn’t have six people in it, that is.”

“Good choice. I almost had to fight Chanhee to brush my teeth.” Sangyeon frowns. “I know he has a system but I have my needs too, you know.”

“Of course,” soothes Jacob, pulling out his pyjamas. They’re really just a pair of plaid pyjama pants Kevin had given him for Christmas when they were still trainees and one of Sangyeon’s old T-shirts, but they’re comfortable.

“That’s mine, isn’t it,” Sangyeon sighs and Jacob smiles sheepishly.

“Maybe?”

“I found Hyunjoonie sleeping with my Nike hoodie the other day. I think a shopping spree is in order.”

“I’ll treat you,” promises Jacob but Sangyeon waves that away as he puts his book aside.

“No need. I think now would be a good time to get the bathroom though, it sounds like Eric and Hyunjae are finished.”

“I did wonder why it was so quiet.” Jacob changes quickly before heading to the bathroom, passing Hyunjoon on the way.

“We’re all having an early night tonight it seems,” says Hyunjoon. “I think only Kevin hyung is awake.”

Jacob snorts. “Typical. Well, goodnight baby, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight hyung.”

Jacob opens the door to the bathroom, finding Kevin wiping the excess water from his face with the hem of his shirt.

“We have towels for a reason, Kevin,” Jacob says, switching to English. Kevin just shrugs.

“There’s only one clean one left and I knew you needed to use it.”

“Sweetheart.”

Kevin blows him a kiss in the mirror and they both laugh quietly. As Jacob begins to remove the minimal makeup from the day, Kevin settles himself on the closed toilet seat.

“I don’t know if you noticed earlier, but were they-”

“Extra quiet when they opened the door, turned the lamp off as soon as they got in, and Younghoon banged his foot on the ladder but didn’t swear,” Kevin rattles off easily, swinging his legs back and forth. “Oh, and Sunwoo was already asleep, Juyeon hyung texted me.”

Jacob pauses. “Oh. I’m impressed. How did you know what I was going to say?”

“Because I know you, Jacob.”

There’s no other reason needed than that and Jacob nods, wiping the last of the concealer off and beginning to wash his face.

He finishes his routine in comfortable silence and they leave the bathroom together, turning the lights off in every room as they go.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Kevin says. “Sleep well and don’t wake up sick!”

“You too.” Jacob grins. “I doubt he was that contagious but if so, guess who will look after me?”

Kevin sighs. “It’s me, isn’t it?”

“Good answer.” Jacob nudges him, a laugh in his voice. “Goodnight Kevin.”

Once he’s back in his bed, curled up in his blankets and staring into the darkness, Jacob finally breathes an easy sigh. A year ago he didn’t think he could handle everything that happened as smoothly as he did, but things change.

He hears Sangyeon roll over in the bed under him, his book from earlier clattering to the floor. The rest of the dorm is quiet, a few random noises from the heater or the fridge. Jacob knows tomorrow he’s going to have to do it all over again.

That’s one thing he never wants to change.


End file.
